Facial Enhancement / Fillers

Facial Volume Enhancement/ Liquid Lift

Volume enhancement using dermal filler is a great option for replacing loss of volume and hollowing that occurs in the face, particularly in the mid-face and lower eyelid area, and along the jawline. The best candidates are patients who experience deflation of their facial volume more quickly than any other aging process. In matter of minutes, the deflated zones can be easily volume restored to return to a more youthful facial shape. The tear trough deformity represents hollowing or separation of the lower eyelid/cheek junction due to downward migration of the mid-face soft tissue; and, finesseful volume enhancement in this area, will not only restore the lost volume, but also provide illusion that the mid-face has been “lifted” to a more youthful level. At the time of consultation, Dr. Kang will carefully analyze your face and recommend the best locations for volume enhancement. Dr. Kang will recommend using either Radiesse, Restylane or Juvederm or sometimes, combination of both to achieve the most natural improvement with the longest lasting effect.

Lip Enhancement

Lip enhancement has always been a difficult procedure. Collagen has never lasted more than a few months. Silicone gel injection can mobilize and incite inflammatory process and unwanted swelling, unpredictably. Surgical placement of Gortex strands can create an unnatural look and can extrude with time. Surgical lipo-transfer can create too much initial swelling and bruising, and doesn’t appear to last long compared to other fat transfer sites in the face. Hyaluronic Acids (HA) dermal fillers appears to be the best option, but some of the HA fillers can appear granular as the HA gel particles move up superficially to the top of lip.

Juvederm due to its smooth gel technology and highest degree and percentage of HA “cross-linking” offers the smoothest feel, no granular effects, and the longest period in between injections, which is usually 6 to 8 months for lip enhancement. The needle required for the injection is so thin, that there is hardly any bruising following injection in Dr. Kang’s hands. Only topical anesthetic is required prior to injection to keep the discomfort level in control during injection procedure.

The best part of Juvederm is that due to its malleable nature, in Dr. Kang’s hands, once it is accurately injected into the proper sites, it can be carefully molded inside the lip to create the most natural and sensuous appearing lips that best fits the individual’s face. At the time of consultation, Dr. Kang will advise you as to the best way to enhance your lip using Juvederm.

As you age, your skin reduces production of naturally hydrating substance called hyaluronic acid (HA). Over time, the loss of HA along with collagen breakdown in your skin results in greater facial wrinkles and folds. In recent years, HA injectables have become more popular over collagen injectables, simply because it is readily available, non-animal based, non-allergenic, quite effective, and most important, lasts a lot longer than collagens. Of all the fillers made up of hyaluronic acid (HA), Juvederm appears to last the longest, simply because it has the highest concentration of cross-linked hyaluronic acid. While all HA fillers appears to be viscoid-elastic, making them easy to inject, Juvederm has even smoother composition helping to create even more natural appearance even when placed very superficially in the dermis. Due to this unique smooth-gel properties as well as optimal gel structure that hold up over time, Juvederm injectable gel is the only HA filler that FDA has approved to last up to 1 year. Juvederm is also the first FDA-approved HA dermal filler that is proven to be safe and effective for people of all colors. There is almost no downtime with usually only temporary swelling and rarely bruising or transient redness to the injected site, to a point where most patients are usually able to return back to work on the same day or following day. In Dr. Kang’s practice, the use of Botox and Juvederm have become so popular with the patients with such high satisfaction rate, that Allergan who supplies both Botox and Juvederm, recognizes Dr. Kang as a “Gold Member” of their network of highly regarded physicians.

Radiesse is also FDA-approved as a dermal filler, and is made of unique calcium-based microspheres suspended in a natural gel. Radiesse not only fills in and corrects smiles lines, fold and wrinkles around the nose and mouth, but it also rebuilds your skin’s foundation and restores your youthful look by allowing the tiny calcium-based microspheres to form a “scaffold” to support and stimulate the growth of your own collagen. Over time, the calcium-based microspheres gradually break down and are safely and naturally absorbed by your body, without any risks associated with a permanent implant. The results are immediate providing a natural, youthful look. The best part is that Radiesse lasts longer than probably most dermal fillers out there, sometimes more than a year, depending on the location and the individual. There is almost no downtime with usually only temporary swelling and rarely bruising or transient redness to the injected site, to a point where most patients are usually able to return back to work on the same day or following day.

Belotero is a dermal filler injection that is approved to temporarily smooth out and fill in moderate to- severe nasolabial folds (the folds or wrinkles that go from the side of the nose to the corner of the mouth). It is made from hyaluronic acid, an acid that is naturally found in one’s skin but diminishes as we age. As this acid is natural to our skin’s makeup it is effective at building up volume in our face and smoothing out the skin’s surface. It creates a more youthful look to one’s face by filling out both deep crease, small lines as well as hollowed out areas under one’s eyes. For many patients in our practice, Belotero is the filler of choice for their lip enhancement as well as filling in the fine crow’s feet around their eyes due to almost no temporary swelling immediately after their injection. The effects of Belotero can last in the range of 6 month up to a year depending on the location injected.

As you age, the cheeks may flatten and the overlying skin may sag more prominently than other areas of your face, lending a “Polar Bear” look in the worst cases. This is known as age-related mid-face volume loss. Juvederm Voluma XC is specifically designed to add volume to this area, which provides lift and re-countering of the cheek area back to your more youthful days. Voluma is a hyaluronic acid formulated with Vycross cross linking technology which creates “lift and fill” effect to allow adequate re-volumization and re-contouring, very much comparable to Radiesse. In addition, due to the special cross linking technology, Voluma is advertised by Allergan to provide longer-lasting results that can “last up to 2 years with optimal treatment”. However, for some patients the “optimal treatment” can translate to multiple syringes which can be quite costly since Voluma is one of the most expensive fillers available in the market.; and, can initially appear excessive when multiple syringes are placed in a quest to put enough deposit of Voluma to make it last up to 2 years. Upon consultation with Dr. Kang, he will provide best judicious use of Voluma which will make you look your best.

Chin & Jaw Enhancement

Chin enhancement using dermal filler, in matter of minutes, can improve the overall facial harmony and proportions. Quite often, following a successful chin enhancement, the slightly prominent nose you always had will appear smaller in size, and the weak chin will appear more in balance with the rest of the face. There is almost no down-time and the mild temporary swelling usually adds to the initial dramatic change, which can be obtained permanently through a formal chin augmentation surgery at a later time. In some patients with significant asymmetry of the jaw bones, the smaller side can be more volume enhanced to achieve closer symmetry.

In some patients with significant widening of jaw, Dr. Kang will recommend Botox to the thick chewing muscle to narrow the widened profile of the jaw angle. Finally in patients with “pointy” chin with denting- in of either side of the chin, Dr. Kang will recommend volume enhancement of the “dented-in” area to provide a smoother pleasant curvature to where the jaw meets the chin. At the time of consultation, Dr. Kang will advise you as to the best way to enhance your chin and jaw area as naturally as possible using Juvederm, Radiesse,and Restlyane or combination of fillers

Cheek Enhancement

The shape and prominence of the cheekbone can truly vary from patient to patient based on their ethnicity and family trait, but an oval shaped face where the cheek is slightly wider than the angle of the jaw is a universal sign of beauty. In those patients with “flat” cheekbones, adding a volume enhancement using dermal filler to the cheekbone area, will in matter of minutes, transform the face to a more oval-shaped vibrant, youthful look.

For nearly two decades, the team at Dr. John Kang’s Facial Plastic Clinic has strived to provide the most comprehensive care to our patients. We firmly believe that this is the cornerstone to optimal and successful outcomes for our patients seeking cosmetic improvement.